Tag Archives: playing cards

The more I work with the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards, the more intrigued I become with what I can only call (at this point) their chameleon quality. The Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards seem to possess the ability to “jump systems.”

You will recall, either from reading previous posts in this series or from examining your own deck of the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards, that they incorporate regular playing cards, Lenormand cards and Oracle cards, making them somewhat of a challenge to read.

As a playing card deck, the cards are not numbered in sequential order. Take the suit of Hearts for example.

As a Lenormand deck, one of the 36 cards, 36 Cross, is missing. Of the remaining 35 Lenormand cards, the numbering and playing card insets between the two systems do not match. For example, the Lenormand 16 Stars features the 6 of Hearts while the Gypsy Witch assigns the number 34 to the Star card and features the 2 of Spades as the playing card inset.

Lenormand 16 Stars vs Gypsy Witch 34 Star

Some of the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards seem to possess a strong numerological correlation such as 24 Hand in Hand (King of Hearts) which carries the 24/6 vibration; others, not so much (for example, 6 Coffin (5 of Spades) which carries the 6 vibration). I will continue to explore this phenomenon in future posts in this series.

Q: Can You Provide Another Clue? (How Do the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards Work?)

The two end cards in this 3-card draw feature Lenormand images, 32 Mountain and 20 Lilies. The middle card is 51 Lion, which is not represented in Lenormand decks. Mountain gives the connotation of obstacles and delays while Lilies suggests a lengthy amount of time. The “fortune” for 51 Lion reads, ‘The lion presages a sudden shock from bad news.’ Since delays and bad news that last a long time does not seem to be an appropriate answer to my question, I figured there had to be another message contained in the cards I drew.

Suddenly, the light bulb flashed. The answer to this particular question was contained solely in the playing card insets. Lenormand card meanings and the Gypsy Witch “fortunes” or “prophecies” did not factor in, although in another reading, or under a different set of circumstances, or with a different question, they might.

The playing card insets told me: Careful examination / investigation (8 of Spades) leads to psychic insights (6 of Diamonds). Work / careful attention to detail (7 of Clubs) is required. [Note:] Another way of reading this combo is by assessing the suits: spades – diamonds – clubs = working (clubs) through an energy (diamonds) problem (spades).

The clue the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards provided as the answer to my question was the actual demonstration of their ability to jump systems, something you may want to keep in mind as you pursue your own study of the cards.

Once again, the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards delivered a highly attuned reading while showcasing their maverick quality and refusal to play by the rules.

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If you’ve missed the previous posts in this series, you can click on the links below or select the Gypsy Witch category tab in the sidebar to your right.

If you own the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck or are thinking of purchasing it, there are a few things you might want to consider:

1. While the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards are not Tarot cards, you can use your favorite tarot layouts and spreads and get useful information.

2. Because all 52 playing cards are represented (along with 3 Jokers), you can substitute this deck for any normal playing cards deck and read it accordingly.

3. Since 35 of the 36 Lenormand card titles are included — and with a little creative license, you can substitute GWFTPC #43 Lightning for Lenormand 36 Cross — you can pull these 36 cards out of the deck and substitute them for a regular Lenormand deck. That is, as long as you don’t mind the fact that for the most part, the playing card insets for the GWFTPC are different from those on the Lenormand, as are the numbers assigned to each card. For example, the Lenormand Scythe features the Jack of Diamonds and is numbered as card 10 while the GWFTPC Scythe features the 10 of Diamonds and is numbered as card 8.

4. You can use the cards as an Oracle Deck since “fortunes” or “prophecies” are written on each of the cards.

5. If you’re up for the challenge and enjoy flexing your intuitive muscles, you can “mix things up” so to speak and read the cards on more than one level.

6. Be prepared to toss the LWB (Little White Book) that comes with the deck into a drawer. It is beyond useless…

By now you are probably getting the idea that the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards do not follow the rules, a fact that can make using them frustrating or perplexing to say the least. Despite this, the cards have a curious draw. They seem to possess a palpable soul that wants to engage with you. If you take the time to get to know them, you might be amazed at the depth of information they are willing to impart.

Several months after the situation that prompted the first reading, Male X (who wound up not pursuing educational courses that could have resulted in a career change) was once again feeling disenchanted with his job. Once again, he decided to apply for a similar position at yet another company for slightly more pay and assurances that he would not have to perform certain onerous tasks he was obligated to perform at his present job. Mrs. X told Mr. X that she just wanted him to be happy and if he wanted to take the new job that was fine with her. To her surprise, a week went by and Mr. X still hadn’t made up his mind, leaving her wondering what was really going on with him. Since Mrs. X contacted me at the exact same time the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards had nagged themselves back into my life, I decided to cast an Overview Spread using this deck for more insight.

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The Overview Spread consists of 7 cards laid out as follows:

The Overview Spread – card positions

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Here are the cards I pulled for Male X’s situation using the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck:

The Significator or Theme Card – Card 1: The Gentleman

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – 2 of Hearts

Notice the Significator or Theme Card is the 2 of Hearts, the card in the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck that is assigned to “the gentleman whose fortune is being told.” I did not preselect this card. The GWFTPC deck picked it for me. I took this as confirmation that the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards were indeed addressing Male X’s situation.

What Is Above You (On Your Mind) – Card 3: The Lion

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: 6 of Diamonds

Four of the seven cards in the spread were Diamonds, giving a sense of restless, scattered energy. Diamonds also refer to money. Diamonds in the Above position (Card 3) suggested that money was on Male X’s mind, and the 6 of Diamonds in particular suggested “not enough money.” The image on this card is The Lion and the “fortune” reads: The lion presages a sudden shock from bad news. I got the sense that Male X was worried that if he took this job, he’d come to realize the small gain in hourly wage would not offset the bonuses he now enjoyed with his current job.

The Recent Past – Cards 6 + 2: The Money Safe and the Scythe

Cards 6 + 2 in the Recent Past position showed a small amount (3 of Diamonds) vs a large amount (10 of Diamonds) of money. In the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck, the 3 of Diamonds is The Money Safe and the 10 of Diamonds is The Scythe. The “fortune” for The Money Safe reads: The money safe indicates riches; if shut side is toward the person, it denotes loss by speculation. The “fortune” for The Scythe reads: The scythe presages disappointment… Because The Money Safe‘s shut side was closest to the Gentleman (Card 1), I surmised that Mr. X feared “loss by speculation,” which seemed to be confirmed by The Scythe, which foreshadowed “disappointment.”

The Near Future – Cards 4 + 7: The Rapiers and The Broken Glass

These cards suggested that a decision (Ace of Spades) based on money (Diamonds) would come up in the near future. Ace of Spades is The Rapier in the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck, warning of assaults which threaten and will occur sooner or later, according to the distance from the person. Since this card was immediately preceded by The Gentleman, I sensed the “assaults,” or decision, would come sooner rather than later. The 8 of Diamonds, known as The Broken Glass in this deck, foretells ill luck for long years if near… Together, these two cards suggested to me that Male X was very worried (Spades) he might make the wrong decision, thus his hesitation.

What is Below You (Fear, Dread or Avoid) – Card 5: The Clover Leaf

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: 5 of Clubs

When I looked at the Below position (Card 5) to see what Male X might have been avoiding, fearing or dreading, or simply not wanting to think about, I couldn’t help but think The Clover Leaf, bearer of good tidings, was the job offer itself! Because he was obviously worried about potentially making a bad decision / bad financial decision (Cards 3, 4 and 7), Male X was delaying (avoiding) responding to the job offer (Card 5).

Overall, I got the sense Male X was worried (Ace of Spades) that the small increase in pay (3 of Diamonds + 10 of Diamonds with 6 of Diamonds and 8 of Diamonds in the spread) would not justify (Ace of Spades) his acceptance of the job offer (5 of Clubs).

A few days after the reading, I found out that Male X had decided not to take the new job.

When I woke up this morning, a look out the window quickly revealed that Mother Nature had dumped at least a foot of snow in my driveway.

Undaunted, I bundled up and stepped outside, ready to brave the elements, optimistically focusing on snow removal success.

Silly me.

A half hour later, frozen to the bone with little to show for my work, I dragged myself back inside, fixed a cup of coffee and sighed. Wondering if I could expect any help, I picked up my Bicycle Club Tattoo Playing Cards deck and threw an Answer Spread.*

“If I Ask, Will I Get Any Help Shoveling the Driveway Today?”

The Answer:

Answer Spread* with Bicycle Club Tattoo playing cards 2 of Hearts – Ace of Diamonds – King of Hearts – 8 of Clubs – 6 of Diamonds – 3 of Diamonds

Preliminarily, five red cards looked to be a good sign, as did two red cards in the “Answer” column (column 2). I also noted no spades were present, suggesting “no problems.” Just as I was about to begin delineating the spread, Daughter #1 called to let me know she, her hubby and their snowplow were on the way to shovel me out!!!

To say this was serendipitous would be an understatement. 🙂

Later, still smiling over my good fortune, I looked over the spread I’d cast and jotted down the following notes:

Column 1: Circumstances Leading Up to the Question

Answer Spread Column 1: 2 of Hearts – 8 of Clubs

Column 1 of the Answer Spread represents the situation or circumstances leading up to the question. It can show the very recent past or the actual current circumstances.

Here we see the 2 of Hearts and 8 of Clubs. The 2 of Hearts can symbolize a family member or loved one and the 8 of Clubs can symbolize thoughts, discussions, or thinking about taking some action. The cards in Column 1 succinctly expressed that I was thinking about asking my daughter for help but had not yet done so.

Column 2: The Answer

Answer Spread Column 2: Ace of Diamonds – 6 of Diamonds

Column 2 of the Answer Spread answers the question. Here we see double Diamonds suggesting great energy is in play, as well as quick results. Diamonds often symbolize money but that is not applicable to my question, so we’ll go with thoughts, energy and immediacy.

In the context of my question, the Ace of Diamonds suggests a new thought or communication, written or verbal, to be given or received. The number 6 suggests harmony and the 6 of Diamonds can refer to psychic energy, among other things. The sense I got from this combination was that a message, thought or communication of some sort (Ace of Diamonds) would show that my loved ones (2 of Hearts) and I were “on the same page,” or psychically attuned (6 of Diamonds) in some way. It so happened that even as I was thinking of asking (8 of Clubs) for help from a family member (2 of Hearts), I received a phone call offering the very assistance I was about to ask for!

Column 3: Something that may affect the Outcome, or Clarification of the Answer

Answer Spread Column 3: King of Hearts – 3 of Diamonds

Column 3 of the Answer Spread gives additional information that often helps explain the answer found in Column 2. Sometimes it describes why the answer is what it is. The bottom card in Column 3 is called the Pivot Card because often the answer “pivots” on whatever that card represents. Here, the Pivot Card is the 3 of Diamonds, topped by the King of Hearts.

It was easy to see that the King of Hearts represented my son-in-law, a generous, kind-hearted family man. Because I sometimes (but not always) equate the 3 of Diamonds with the Tarot 3 of Wands, which is the “ships coming in” card, it was easy for me to make the jump to “snowplow coming in.” Column 3 clearly showed my son-in-law (King of Hearts) and his snowplow coming to my rescue!

Once again, I’m happy to report, the Answer Spread* came through with flying colors. Give it a try on your next question if you haven’t already done so, and to those of you living in snow zones, may your driveways stay clear!

In my previous post I discussed the correlation between predictions and probable outcomes and cautioned against inadvertently creating self-fulfilling prophecies for yourself.

Despite what I said, the ability to predict with the cards is a valuable skill and one well worth learning. If you’d like to explore that path, you may find the following guidelines useful:

Draw cards every day.

A time-tested way to learn how a particular card system speaks to you is to perform and record a daily draw in the morning, interpret it, then record feedback at the end of the day. If you make this daily ritual part of your routine, your ability to read cards correctly will greatly improve.

Record your daily card draws!

What is the point of pulling some cards, making an awesome, intuitive connection that actually pans out correctly in real life, only to “forget” how the card combination spoke to you? Make it a habit to record your daily card draws!

Record your daily card draws in a dedicated journal

The easiest way to record daily draws (especially if you’re short on time in the morning) is to use one of those weekly planners that has spaces for each day of the week in a two-page spread. All you need to do is jot down your daily cards in the space for the day and add your interpretations or predictions. Because a years’ worth of dates are already printed in the book, you get the extra bonus of being able to record a years’ worth of daily draws all in one book, making it easy to go back and see how things played out. Pick a planner that “speaks” to you; one you will enjoy using.

(If time is not an issue, or if you prefer, you could purchase and use a lined journal or notebook dedicated to recording your daily draws.)

Consider using a weekly planner to record your daily tarot card or Lenormand card predictions

Only pull 2 or 3 cards for your daily draw.

One card is hard to interpret and more than 3 is overkill. Record the cards and jot down a brief interpretation and 1 or 2 predictions. At day’s end, review your entry. What actually happened during your day? How did the cards play out? Was your prediction accurate or were you way off base?

Jot down card combinations or interpretations that prove accurate into the margins of favorite reference books and place your initials and the date in parentheses. That way, over time, you will have developed rich, personalized and customized, master reference books of your own. (I write in the margins of Sylvie Steinbach’s Secrets of the Lenormand Oracle and Trish MacGregor & Phyllis Vega’s Power Tarot.)

Practice, practice, practice!

The key to improving your ability to predict correctly is consistent, daily practice. Don’t let early failures or faulty predictions deter you. Over time you will find your “hit rate” improving. As with any other skill you may be trying to develop, daily, consistent practice is essential.

Predictions and Probable Outcomes

You may also find, much to your amazement and delight, that your improved ability to predict with tarot cards, Lenormand cards, playing cards or oracle decks helps enormously in tracking your own subconscious or unconscious motives, beliefs and thoughts, making it easier to practice conscious creation as you attempt to manifest good things into your life. Because you already know that a probable outcome is just that: a probable outcome, you will develop the ability to catch yourself in a negative mindset, question your motives, thoughts and beliefs and make another (hopefully more positive) choice for yourself.

It’s natural to be attracted to, or intrigued by, the uncanny ability Tarot Cards, Lenormand Cards, Playing Cards and Oracle decks seem to possess. Logical or not, cards appear to be able to predict the future. That’s what draws many people to card divination in the first place. We want to know what’s going to happen today, whether he or she likes us, will we get the job, what if the money doesn’t come through in time, etc., etc.

If you are even semi-serious about card reading, that particular mindset can be less than helpful. This is because any card draw, using any deck, for any question, at any given moment in time, is simply reflecting the prevailing energies in motion at the time of the question.

In other words, 9 times out of 10, what you are seeing is a probable future and not one that is set in stone.

Furthermore, if you don’t monitor them, your own thoughts, beliefs and feelings about the message(s) you got from the cards will influence what actually transpires. Sometimes, without even realizing it, you wind up setting a “self-fulfilling prophecy” into motion. This can have either good or bad results depending on whether your thoughts, beliefs and feelings about the question asked and answer received are predominantly positive or negative.

If up until now you’ve been reading cards from a basically predictive mindset, you don’t need to stop. But you might want to consider exploring a different layer of information the cards may be suggesting. Are they really answering your question as you stated it or could they be answering another, underlying, question?

I’ve found that’s often the case and if I dig around a little, and/or revise my question based on fresh insights I’ve gotten from the spread, I can ferret out information and advice that’s inordinately more helpful than the “answer” to the question I originally asked.

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